This is another post in the “Ask a Tarot Reader” series. If you have a question for me that you’d like to see featured here, please email me at tarrytowntarot@gmail.com, Subject line: “Ask a Tarot Reader”. Please specify how you would like your name to appear or if you wish to remain anonymous.
I was reading at a birthday party the other day, and besides the normal rundown of “how long have you been reading for?” that happens when people see that I’m not a wizened old bat, the second most-asked question was, “How long does it take to learn this?”
My response was, “I think it’s one of those things that takes a lifetime to master, but probably not that long to learn.”
This also made me think of how I learned tarot, and how I probably went about it not the “wrong” way, but a frustrating way. I tend to really beat myself up over things that I can’t “get” right away. Tarot was certainly one of those things.
If I can, I would like to save people the pain and frustration that can come from beginning to learn tarot. Please keep in mind that like in every field of study, mastery is not the goal: lifetime learning is. Also keep in mind that the more time and effort you put into studying and working with tarot cards, the more you will be rewarded richly for your efforts. But there are a few shortcuts I’ve learned along the way that may help you, and I’m more than happy to share them here.
Some “shortcut” games to learning tarot:
- The “everything is a tarot card” game: This game teaches you to view the entire world as a tarot deck. I stumbled upon this technique as I was on vacation in Orlando, Florida this year, and each “card of the day” was a picture I took that reminded me of a tarot card.
- Build a personal relationship with each card: How is this accomplished? Go through your deck and relate each card to a personal experience. Start with the Major Arcana first before delving into the Minor Arcana. A few examples: The Hierophant could be your Sunday School teacher from childhood and the Empress could be your mother. Each person and situation could fit into multiple cards or just one, but the choice is up to you during this exercise.
- Explain one tarot card a day to someone else: I’ve found the best way to learn is to teach. Choose a receptive person to “teach” one card out of the tarot deck to. You may find that you know much more about the card than you realized just by saying it aloud to someone else!
Keep those tarot questions coming!
~*~Hilary~*~
www.tarotbyhilary.com
Image courtesy of David Castillo Dominici / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
What do you consider a shortcut to learning the tarot? Do you believe there are shortcuts to learning it? Leave your thoughts in the Comments section.
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I’ve always found tarot cards to be interesting. I’ve been wanting to learn but haven’t had the time. These short cut games may allow it to fit in my schedule.
Wonderful, I hope you find them to be helpful!